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This cheap little book has the power to shine a light into a blind spot within your mind. Back in the sixties (which happened in the seventies) this book was a cult classic. Tuttle bound it in hand made washi, and slid it into a special little box-cover. It is the gift of insight into Japan, and esthetics, and Tea, and Art, and Xenophobia, and most of all into yourself. Read it for someone you don't yet love. It had the look and the feel of a special precious gift.
In this most egocentric, self-referential, radio talk-show, don't-think-tank, time in our history,it would be well for us to read this book again. Everyone in Berkeley had a brick & board book case with Steal This Book, and Kahlil Gibran, and Mao, and Ferlingetti, and the Tuttle edition of this book. It will change your prospective, and it will teach you that prospective is everything. The book itself was art. It is still a special precious gift. Give it to someone you love.
It's a small book, 155 pages, and that even includes notes and explanations from those who have written the forward and afterword. This is then largely rounded out by explanations of the different schools of thought on the art of flower arrangement, not necessarily on how the flowers are further involved in the ceremony. This book has become the defining text on the meanings woven into the ceremony, the setting, and everything surrounding it. The tea ceremony is something that is uniquely Japanese, but much of the significance of the role tea plays in Japanese culture is lost on the average Westerner. Basically, drop your Western mind. Once you get past that, there's a brief description of how the tea-master will select and place the flower in the teahouse.
Of the 16 pages, the first 11 are odes to flowers, poetic descriptions of the blooms, and the lamenting of how the Western mind minimizes and destroys these plants without a second thought.
Okakura himself goes into poetic detail on each part of the ceremony, such as the history of tea, the role of art and flowers, the utensils, and the teahouse itself.
Of course, that's probably *my* Western mind wanting to get to concrete descriptions and steps rather than becoming immersed in significance and wonder.Given the small size of the book, it's not going to consume great amounts of time if you decide to read it.
Kakuzo Okakura attempted to correct that lack of knowledge in his 1906 book The Book of Tea: The Classic Work on the Japanese Tea Ceremony and the Value of Beauty.
This type of writing tends to give you a broader idea of the Japanese mindset and culture, but not necessarily anything specific on the actual tea ceremony.
Since it's written from a perspective of explaining the significance to a non-Japanese audience, it's far more than just a recitation of facts and rituals.
For instance, one whole chapter is about flowers.
Just be prepared for more contemplation and poetry rather than a logical dissection of all that is the tea ceremony.
:)
There are brilliant moments of insight in this small and curious book, with many true assessments of the West's shifting perceptions of Eastern civilization. Okakura' small distillation of 'Teaism' is really a survey of Eastern philosophy. He points to Zen and Taoism as the foundational ways of thinking that anchor this idea called Teaism. I am reminded of the late Heidegger's philosophy (and indeed Heidegger read 'The Book of Tea), particularly in essays such as 'The Thing' which point out the significance of our everyday objects and their intimate relationship to world and culture. This book is truly a small treasure of Eastern thought.
F. I like the chapter on the Tea House. All the facts are corrected in a brilliant afterward by E. At its best this book provides an interesting look at tea. He also shows how the tea house is a way to experience Zen. It is interesting of how he first talks about Taoism and its relationship to Zen, which I knew about but haven't really read anything on it.
He explains the background of the tea ceremony and the Zen influence.
Bleiler.
It starts with certain objects placed inside the tea house such as flowers and maybe one painting or poem.
On the downside, Okakura Kakuzo, gets several of his facts wrong by not proofreading.
It explains a lot of how the Japanese view the tea house experience.
Also, Okakura, has several comparisons to the West and how Japan is different.
This is to show his Japanese uniqueness and it borders on nihonjinron.However, Okakura does make a clear connection between the consumption of tea and aesthetics.
It is this simple refined use of space that the interior of the tea house is to be best appreciated and enjoyed.
From the walk down the path, to the washing of utensils, to putting it all together and consuming tea this reflects how a Zen monk will break from the world, as he enters the tea house, and begins meditation.If you have any interest in Japanese culture or just like a good hot cup of tea, this can be an entertaining book.
A fascinating look at the cultural significance and spiritual--and sometimes political--influence of tea on Japanese culture. Short and easy to read. Recommended to anyone who celebrates tea as something so much more than a beverage.
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